Merri McGregor posted a photo early this week of herself at age 21, on the day she graduated from the Detroit police academy.

"Look at that smile on my face," she said. "I couldn't have been more excited, more proud."

But her time in the force wasn't always happy. She experienced horrific tragedies and many personal injuries in the line of duty, from torn ligaments and PTSD to the death of a fellow officer.

"Smells, pictures, sounds and sights are burned and engrained [sic] into our minds...things we can never forget, no matter how hard we try; things that haunt our sleep at night and our thoughts during the day; things that we volunteered to deal with so that you don't have to."

She went on to assert that the majority of police officers are good people who aren't prone to violence.

"Are cops perfect? No. Are there bad cops? Yes. But please...understand that the vast majority of police are good, loving, well intentioned family people."We ALL need to start being more understanding and compassionate toward one another. Violence doesn't cure violence," she wrote. "I've seen and experienced both sides of the spectrum since I left the PD and I get it. I truly do. But this all has to stop."

"Love to all of you," she concluded. "We're all SO much better than this."